Speak Now
by munchkinjenny05
Summary: AU Future set oneshot- It's Emily and Naomi's wedding rehearsal and the blonde has gone AWOL. Katie finds her, but she has her own reasons for not wanting the wedding to go ahead. Can she convince Naomi that she is making a mistake, or is it too late?


**This is my first Naomi/Katie fic. Normally, I'm firmly in the Naomily and Keffy camp, but over the years I have read some great fics that have forced me to save a little space in my heart for this pairing. I always loved their banter on the show, and I think sparks would definitely fly between them.**

**I'm not really sure how popular this pairing is, so I have no idea what response I'll get, but I just had to write this regardless. I got the idea last night and just couldn't let go.**

There was an unmistakable chill in the air as Katie waited. She cursed herself for the foolishness that made her forgo comfort in favour of style every time. Of course she looked amazing in her short strapless dress, but that would fail to matter if she contracted pneumonia or lost several fingers to frost bite. She wished she'd at least had the foresight to bring a jacket. Then again, this wouldn't be a problem if her sister wasn't so stubborn. Normal people got married in spring or summer, yet Emily Fitch was determined that her nuptials would take place amongst the autumnal trees. Whereas she would consider falling leaves to be a nuisance, Emily saw them as charming. Katie had opted to agree to disagree.

It shouldn't have been necessary to be loitering around outside anyway. If Naomi Campbell could get her shit together, then Katie could have been inside trying to make the best of the fact that all her family were gathered together in a confined space. It was crowd control at best, but at least in was warm indoors. She began pacing, as well as an effort to keep warm it had the dual purpose of calming her nerves.

"What are you doing out here?"

Katie raised her eyebrow. "Waiting for you, what do you think? You're fully AWOL. Where have you been? I don't know if it's escaped your attention, but normally weddings require two people."

Naomi rolled her eyes wearing a predictable scowl. "It's just the rehearsal, and I needed some time out. To be honest, it's doing my head in." The blonde clocked Katie's wide-eyed expression and smirked. "Don't pretend that you're enjoying yourself, Katiekins."

The other girl shrugged. "It's not about me, it's about you and Ems."

Naomi sighed. "That's a cop-out. Just admit that you are bored senseless. It's a shambles. Your parents can't even bear to be in the same room, James keeps trying to look up my dress and I'm pretty sure that the vicar has indulged in too much communion wine." Katie was speechless for once. She couldn't argue with any of that, yet the words didn't sit right. Naomi was supposed to happy, residing in a blissful pre-wedding bubble. She watched as the blonde lit a cigarette and perched on the wall beside her.

"It's okay to be scared." She whispered gently. Naomi stared at her, reminding herself that underneath all the brashness, this was the real Katie, a girl who cared so much, too much probably. Few people got to see this girl and the blonde counted herself lucky to be part of the select group that Katie trusted to let her guard down around. It hadn't always been that way. Naomi took a long drag on her cigarette, her safety net, clutched tightly between trembling fingers.

"I'm not scared." She retorted indignantly. "Do you think I'd have asked Emily to marry me if I was?"

Katie sighed. She hadn't meant to put Naomi on the defensive. It was obvious that she wasn't the right person to be having this conversation and yet she was the only one who could. She took a deep breath and suppressed her urge to snap back angrily. That wouldn't help either of them. She needed to stay calm and rational. "Look, I know you love my sister very much, but I also know that there is a part of you that doesn't want to go through with this."

"Why, because I'm outside having a smoke? Jitters are normal, you know"

"Cut the bullshit, Naomi. This is me you're talking to remember. I know because that piece of you is the same part that led you when you kissed me in the kitchen a few days ago, are you going to deny it?" Naomi looked away guiltily. Immediately, Katie hated that she had to say things like that. She didn't want to ruin everything for everyone. In fact, she was trying to do the opposite. She remembered Thomas' words that day in the bathroom, it seemed like another lifetime now, and yet his observations had never been truer. Sometimes though, the truth was hard to swallow. The blonde opened her mouth to speak, but she silenced the girl with a look. Katie had already heard all the excuses. Time may have been running out, but there was still a slim chance to correct the mistake. "Don't even try to say that you thought I was Em. I might have fallen for that the first time, but this keeps happening. Who are we kidding? I'm not stupid and neither are you. I'm not the same as her; you knew it was me, you wanted…" The girl trailed off. When it came down to it, the words were too difficult to say out loud.

She glanced over at Naomi; the girl was on the verge of tears. Her stomach twisted painfully at the sight. "I have no idea what I'm doing…" She choked out. Katie put her arms around her. There wasn't much she could do now. She had said her piece; it was all up to Naomi. They sat like that, huddled together for a long time. Katie was unmindful of the cold at this point; the blonde on her left was her only concern. Naomi cried into the silence, weeping unashamedly against the other girl's shoulder. She needed this outlet so Katie let it happen; only punctuating the silence with words of comfort as often as she dared. Her hands rubbed soothing circles into the blonde's back until her breathing evened out.

When Naomi pulled her into another kiss she didn't resist. It didn't feel wrong, it never had. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. She reached into blonde hair, deepening the kiss, wanting more of the girl instinctively. She sucked hungrily on her bottom lip, shivering as Naomi's tongue slid into her mouth. This occasion was different from the others; it wasn't hurried, not simply a snatched moment. They took the time to explore each other. Katie's arms went to the blonde's sides, inching her closer even as she felt the other girl drawing back. She moved as if to bolt. Katie leant forward, catching her wrist. She was well versed in Naomi's behaviour after all these years.

"Don't run." Katie pleaded. "I'm not asking you to marry me, just don't marry my sister." Their eyes locked. "It's not too late to call it off."

Naomi flopped back onto the wall, her head in her hands. "This is going to destroy Emily." She replied uneasily.

"So would waking up 10 years from now and realising that her beloved bride resents her. You need to work out what it is you do want. If it's not her, you need to let her go. Emily doesn't deserve this."

"Christ, I know, I'm just so confused. My head is a mess."

Katie smiled reassuringly. She entwined their fingers. Nothing was as calming as physical touch. "You don't need to figure out your entire future in one night, just postpone the wedding and go from there, it's not rocket science."

"When did you get so wise?"

"Right around the time you stopped dressing like you raided a charity shop bin." Katie retorted affectionately. That was as near as she ever got to complimenting Naomi Campbell. "We aren't kids anymore."

Naomi twisted the silver engagement band on her finger absently. "Don't I know it? Uh…thanks, Katie."

The other girl beamed. "No problem, although I will accept thanks for that dress. Don't let it go to your head, but, well, you look really pretty tonight."

Naomi grinned and suppressed a laugh as she twirled around in the dust. "Oh, you like it? An amazing girl helped me pick it out, she's kind of a big deal in the fashion world and aside from a predilection to leopard print during her school days, she has great taste."

Katie giggled. "She sounds fabulous; I'd love to meet her."

"You'll have to get in line; she's rather in demand these days."

The smaller girl reached around where Naomi had been sitting and snatched the carton of cigarettes deftly. She shook one out of the packet and lit it, coughing only slightly. It marred her image of cool and Naomi snorted. Katie swore at the blonde under her breath and took another drag. "I thought you were terrified of the big C." Naomi muttered, sliding the contraband back into her handbag.

"Life's too short." Katie responded defensively. In reality she was stalling. She no longer had any desire to go back in. She was scared about what was about to unfold. Her nerves were shot. Honestly, she knew she was living on borrowed time. If she didn't take Naomi back soon, Emily would send out a search party. Her line of sight rested firmly on the doors of the church.

"It will be if you keep smoking those." Naomi remarked sarcastically.

She didn't miss a beat. "Ha, pot, kettle, black, Campbell." Nevertheless, she extinguished the barely touched cigarette. "Happy now?" Katie grumbled as she crushed the stub under her heel.

Naomi's gaze followed where Katie's had been seconds previously. She stared intently at the church. Inside was every single person that she cared about, with the exception of one. She started walking slowly up the path. There was no choice except facing the music. She set her jaw firmly and placed one foot in foot of the other, the smaller girl keeping pace at her side. Her answer when it came was barely audible. "Hardly."


End file.
